MANILA - State medical insurer PhilHealth on Thursday urged college students participating in face-to-face classes to avail of its health insurance.

The government has allowed colleges and universities under COVID-19 Alert Level 1 to hold in-person classes at full capacity. But all students returning to their campuses should be registered with PhilHealth or any medical insurance.

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"Para sa ating mga estudyante naman, kaya sila nire-register just in case magkaroon sila ng, ma-expose sila ng COVID, they can avail of the COVID-19 benefits," said PhilHealth spokesperson Dr. Shirley Domingo.

(For our students, they need to register so that just in case they get exposed to COVID-19, they can avail of the benefits.)

Domingo said students below 21 years old may be considered as dependents of their parents or guardians who are already registered with PhilHealth.

"Kung naka-register sila through their parents, wala nang kailangan... Ipakita na lang nila ang kanilang MDR (member data record) sa school nila," she said.

(If they are registered with their parents, nothing else is needed... They just need to show their MDR to their school.)

"Kung hindi naman nadeklara as dependent sa mga magulang nila, so ang advice po natin sa mga magulang na mag-update ng kanilang membership at idagdag itong mga estudyante na ito as their dependents," continued the official.

(If they are not declared as dependents of their parents, our advice is for the parents to update their membership and add these students as their dependents.)

Meanwhile, students above 21 years old could coordinate with their school or PhilHealth offices to apply for the insurance, Domingo said.

They may also download application forms through the PhilHealth website, she said.

Domingo said a student would get a PhilHealth identification number upon application. They could then access their account and pay the insurance online, she said.

"Kung hindi naman, they can pay also in selected banks or on accredited collecting agent," she said.

"Mayroon tayong mga in-patient benefits at mayroon rin tayong mga out-patient benefits tulad ng dialysis, chemotherapy, lahat po 'yun puwedeng makuha," she added.

(They can also pay in select banks or an accredited collecting agent. We have in-patient benefits and we have out-patient benefits like dialysis, chemotherapy, and other benefits.)

The National Union of Students of the Philippines earlier said that not all students can afford health insurance, which was why they urged government to fund this.

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"Sumusunod tayo sa Department of Health and CHED (Commission on Higher Education) joint memorandum. Pero sa atin naman, ang masasabi natin is proteksiyon na rin iyon ng ating mga estudyante, kapag ma-register," Domingo said of the policy.

(We are just obeying the Department of Health and CHED joint memorandum. But for us, we can say that it will serve as protection for our students, if they can register.)

Video from PTV